Special note regarding the Penny gown - The sale of this dress will benefit the Durham Crisis Response Center. We obtained Penny from one of the DCRC's volunteers. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to sell it in cooperation with this deserving organization!
General information & background
The Penny dress is a precursor to the iconic Parent Trap Vera Wang wedding dress. It dates from the earliest years of Vera's career, before this design was distributed broadly, and is likely an early prototype of the iconic dress -- making it even more special and rare than the version we all know and love.
Penny is made of a substantial silk crepe fabric that is cut on the bias. The fabric skims the body beautifully and feels great to wear. The princess seams in the bodice allow for a closely tailored fit. The neckline, back, and sleeves are made of Vera's signature mesh. The back closes with a line of covered buttons. The cuffs and neckline are accented with silk crepe, and the wrists close with a single covered button. The cuffs stand away from the wrist slightly, as shown in the photos.
Penny is a clean and chic design, perfect for the vintage-loving minimalist.
Size & measurements
Measurements must be used to assess whether a gown will fit you or can be altered to fit you. A gown can usually be made 2-3 sizes smaller without compromising the design, but can rarely be made more than approximately 1/2-1” larger without making major modifications. The exterior measurements of this dress are as follows:
Bust - approximately 36" (see note below)
Waist - 30"
Hip - approximately 42"
This gown is approximately a modern size 8-12.
Note - The bust of this gown is difficult to measure accurately because the back is mesh. Please use hip and waist measurements when assessing whether this gown would fit.
Condition
Penny is in excellent vintage condition, especially considering the delicacy of the mesh used to create these gowns. As with all of our mesh-bodice vintage Veras, there are no holes or weaknesses in the mesh. (Once a hole appears, it is impossible to repair invisibly and will always appear as a visible flaw regardless of how it is corrected, so we never accept gowns with any holes or weaknesses in the mesh.)
There is slight discoloration in isolated areas of the interior of the bodice from wear, but this is minor and not visible when worn. There is a small amount of dirt and two small stains (smaller than a pinhead) along the edge of the rear hem.
